(By Delegate Sobonya)
[Introduced January 12, 2011; referred to the
Committee on Roads and Transportation then Finance.]

A BILL to amend and reenact §17A-3-16 of the Code of West Virginia,
1931, as amended, relating to motorcycle registration renewal;
and exempting motorcycles from the requirement of annual
registration.Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That §17A-3-16 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended,
be amended and reenacted to read as follows:ARTICLE 3. ORIGINAL AND RENEWAL OF REGISTRATION. ISSUANCE OF
CERTIFICATES OF TITLE.
§17A-3-16. Expiration of registration and certificates of title.
(a) Every vehicle registration under this chapter and every
registration card and registration plate issued under this chapter
expires at midnight on the last day of the month designated by the
commissioner: Provided, That the commissioner may extend the period during which the registration plates may be used.
Certificates of title need not be renewed annually but remain
valid until canceled by the division for cause or upon a transfer
of any interest shown in the vehicle.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section or of any
provision of this chapter, the commissioner shall adopt a staggered
registration system whereby the registration of Class A or Class G
motor vehicles is for a period of twelve consecutive calendar
months, the expiration dates of the registrations to be staggered
throughout the year: Provided, That on or after July 1, 1997, the
commissioner shall also offer an optional two-year registration
system, whereby the registration of all vehicles shall be for a
period of twenty-four consecutive calendar months, the expiration
dates of the registrations to be staggered throughout the year.
Under this option, all annual fees due at the time of registration
shall be multiplied by two.
(1) On or after July 1, 1997, all Class A and effective on
July 1, 2011, Class G motor vehicles as defined in section one,
article ten of this chapter, shall be registered for a period of
twelve or twenty-four consecutive calendar months. There hereby
are established twelve registration periods, each of which shall
start on the first day of each calendar month of the year and shall
end on the last day of the twelfth month from date of beginning.
The period ending on January 31 is designated the first period; that ending on the February 28 (February 29) is designated the
second; that ending on March 31 is designated the third; that
ending on April 30 is designated the fourth; that ending on May 31
is designated the fifth; that ending on June 30 is designated the
sixth; that ending on July 31 is designated the seventh; that
ending on August 31 is designated the eighth; that ending on
September 30 is designated the ninth; that ending on October 31 is
designated the tenth; that ending on November 30 is designated the
eleventh; and that ending on December 31 is designated the twelfth.
(2) All Class A or Class G motor vehicles, which are operated
for the first time upon the public highways of this state to and
including the fifteenth day of any given month are subject to
registration and payment of the fee for the twelve- or twenty-four-
month period commencing the first day of the month of operation.
All Class A or Class G motor vehicles operated for the first time
upon the public highways of this state on and after the sixteenth
day of any given month are subject to registration and payment of
fee for the twelve or twenty-four-month period commencing the first
day of the month of the next following calendar month.
(c) On or before July 1, 1996, all Class T and Class R
vehicles shall be registered for a maximum period of three years or
portion thereof based on the number of years remaining in the
three-year period designated by the commissioner.
(d) On or before July 1, 2000, all Class C trailers shall be registered for the duration of the owner's interest in the trailer
and shall not expire until either sold or otherwise permanently
removed from the service of the owner.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to allow the registration of
motorcycles for twenty-four months.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from
the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would
be added.